Medical residents and fellows at Northwestern University have overwhelmingly voted in favor of unionization, echoing trends across large U.S. healthcare systems generally. Approximately 84% of those who participated in the vote supported the move to form a union under the Committee of Interns & Residents, part of the Service Employees International Union, according to Crain’s Chicago Business.
The Northwestern union will represent nearly 1,300 Northwestern residents, who are technically employed by the McGaw Medical Center.
“We are proud to be able to serve our community at one of the state’s top hospitals—but Northwestern’s reputation isn’t enough,” said James Hammock, MD, a first-year psychiatry resident, in the union’s first statement following the vote. “Having a seat at the table means we can advocate for fair pay and improvements to our working conditions, allowing us to dedicate ourselves fully to our training and to providing the highest quality of care to our patients.”
The union’s statement also pointed out that Northwestern Medicine received $283 million more in tax exemptions than it spent on charity care and community investment, according to a 2022 report.
Specific demands are forthcoming, but union leaders aim to negotiate for improved wages, benefits and working conditions, reflecting concerns similar to those raised by healthcare workers nationwide. These issues were magnified during the pandemic, with many healthcare workers facing burnout, high stress levels and job dissatisfaction due to understaffing, overwhelming workloads, hospital payroll squeezes and the resultant strikes.
Other notable recent labor action includes the strike at Kaiser Permanente, reported as the largest in U.S. healthcare history. Medical center residents at the University of Illinois Chicago and Stanford Health Care have also formed unions.
Evan joined TriMed in 2011, writing primarily for Health Imaging. Prior to diving into medical journalism, Evan worked for the Nine Network of Public Media in St. Louis. He also has worked in public relations and education. Evan studied journalism at the University of Missouri, with an emphasis on broadcast media.